Miami to Key West - Advice Needed

P

Pale Ale

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We are in Miami Beach (from the Annapolis, MD area) and are headed to Key West... Then up the west coast. We are in a 41' Powerboat w/twin diesel and draw 4', bridge clearance 18'. Can cruise at 20 mph but have been cruising 9-10 mph 90% of the time (preferred).

It's been suggested the Hawks Channel would be the best way but I don't want to make it in one day and am concerned about decent anchorages along the way. Time is on our side so there is no need to rush it. I am concerned about depths on the inside. Just bent up a prop at Bakers Haulover and have no intentions of doing it again.

My first question... how far south on the inside would be acceptable before cutting out to Hawks? Anglefish Creek? That seems like a good spot with a decent anchorage. Is Government Cut the only viable deep water option? The anchorage options look pretty limited on the outside, so maybe the ICW (inside) is doable?

Thanks!
 
with 4' draft you can go all the way to Marathon on the inside, it's well marked and depths are not an issue. shallowest spots are about 5 1/2 at the east entrance of Dusenberry creek in KL and also at the beginning of the run to Pigeon Key. but with 4' draft, you'll be fine.

i like the inside, it's more scenic.

you can anchor near rodriguez key on the outisde, off KL, it's ok... not that great. there are some moorings past islamorada at Indian Key, it's a nice spot to stop on the outside. further south, I've anchored in New Found Harbor (past the 7 mile bridge), nice shelter.

on the bayside tehre are many places to anchor out, basically anywhere you want off the channel... winds are light these days otherwise pick a spot in the lee of a key! Plantation Yacht Harbor in Islamorada is a nice marina to stop at.

at 9kts you can make it to KW in 2 days

Haulover is the worst spot of the entire ICW. last fall I anchored out before passign southbound (wind was 25kts so running outside that day wasn't an option) and did a few passes with the tender to note the depths with the sounder. the deep water (10' MLW) is very close to the greens. Mid channel, there is a ledge and depth go up to to 5 to 6' MLW from the middle of the channel to the red. You can be right in the middle, with one prop in the clear and a sounder on that side showing 12', while your other prop is grinding on the hard bottom...
 
If you make it to St. pete I can show you where to get great IPA.
 
Pascal, thank you!!! We are at Sunset Harbor Marina but need to leave in the next hour or so. Any advice on an anchorage a bit farther south? We are considering anchoring at Belle Isle (again) for the night then heading south but would also like to move a little farther south today, say 10-20 miles.

Bruce: Any advice on a marina in the St Pete, Tampa or Clearwater area for a full time live aboard?
 
definetly Eliott Key. just 13NM from Miami, nice clear water. the best anchorage in the keys in my opinion!

in winter i'd suggest Boca Chita (next to eliott) but right now the mosquitoes will eat you alive!

at eliott you can come pretty close to the beach and the university dock on the north side of the island, the bottom rises very gradually, just drop the hook in about 5' and you'll be pretty close. nicer close during the day but come dusk you may want to fall back a little you the no wake zone markers (fewer bugs).
 
Not sure when you will pick up internet again, but you have some pretty good advice so far. We were a bit deep at 5' for going down to Marathon inside and gave our keel a nice sanding. Be aware it is the start of lobster season so there will be extra pots to dodge; there is no discipline about keeping them out of the channel-- quite the contrary. On our inside trip we anchored off Key Biscayne, Eliot Key, Pumpkin Key, Tarpon Bay, and our favorite, Islamorada (shown as Upper Matecumbe Key on the chart)a few frisbee throws from Loreleis. You can bail out to Hawk channel through Biscayne Channel, Anglefish and Channel 5 quite comfortably, just mind the markers. Another fun place is if you can grab a mooring off Lingnum Vitae or Shell Key. On the outside, northeast of Marathon, the only place we have anchored is the aforementioned Rodriguez Key. Saw the infamous "Charmer" there once...

In Marathon, you can anchor on the north side but better yet go into Boot Key Harbor and grab a mooring, other wise anchor off the west side of Boot Key. Now you go outside and if you have confidence in your anchoring, Bahia Honda between the bridges is one of our favorite spots anywhere. You must make sure you get a good set, which can take a few tries, and are set up to handle the current shift. The picture in my avatar was taken by a friendly stranger off the old bridge as we came into the harbor. We have done Newfound Harbor as well, but there is more to do at Bahia Honda with the beaches and the state park facility.

In Key West, we just anchor off the west side of Fleming Key and dinghy into town. An alternative for your boat is the moorings on the east side of Fleming. Saves you big bucks which in turn you can splurge on lunch at Louis' Backyard.

That's some of what I know from cruising my boat down there, obviously with yours you have much more flexibility.

George
Hatteras 56MY
Boston Whaler 130 Sport.
 
I was concerned about the yacht channel depth with my 4.5' so we went outside. North winds make the depths lower so absent northers and low tide it might be OK. Anglefish creek has a reported hard shoal at the Hawk channel entrance but we just coasted over in neutral and didnt see a problem. I have anchored at Pumpkin key, Indian key ( worth a visit for interesting history) and inside at Islamorada. Inside is a nicer trip and scenery if you can make it, next time without northers I plan to try it based on Pascals comments..
 
fogot to mention that on the inside, if you head north in the pocket of "deep" water north of Pigeon Key, right before tavernier, you can anchor off butternut key and on the back side of "cant remember the name" key :)obvious on the charts.... you're just 2 NM from Tavernier and KL but feels like you're 200 miles away from civilization.
 
We bugged out of the marina a little early so I am just logging back in. We ended up going to Pumpkin Key yesterday. Probably spend today and tonight here as well. We weren't really in the mood for more "Miami".

I have good confidence in anchoring. We have been on the water since April 1st, when we left the Upper Chesapeake Bay, and have anchored 99% of the trip so far. We even saw Charmer in Norfolk for a brief moment this spring as Pascal took her north. We have seen it all when it comes to current, 9 foot tides, and storms. It's been one hell of a trip so far!

Anyway, all of your comments are greatly appreciated!!!
 
Pumpkin Key is cool; fun to take the dinghy over and snoop around Ocean Reef. Though you passed it, Elliot Key is more fun IMO, take the dink to EK itself and hike around, and over to Boca Chita just for the scene. If you come back that way, don't miss it on your return trip. Nice water to swim in off the boat too.

Based on what you're saying, the only real anchoring challenge left on the east coast is Bahia Honda; sounds like you are up to it. It has the best beaches on the Keys. If you are adventurous, you can take a long dink ride over to the little marina on Big Pine by the bridge to No Name and walk a couple hundred yards to the famous No Name Tavern, have some great pizza and stick a dollar up on the wall in practice for your visit to Cabbage Key up the west coast.
 
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